Device for supporting cables of electric lamps.



PATENTED MAR. 27, 1906.

J. F. BURNS. DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING CABLES OF ELECTRIC LAMPS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY12,1905.

lnveq or ARTS MMM

UNITED srarns PATENT FFIGE.

JAMES F. BURNS, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK.

DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING CABLES OF ELECTRIC LAMPS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Eatented March 2'7,

Application filed July 12,1905- Scri'al No. 269,307-

To all whom, it may cancer/1,.-

Be it known that I, J AMES F. BURNS, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of the city and county of Albany, State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices forSupporting Cables of Electric Lamps, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to devices for supporting a cable for an electriclamp; and the object of my invention is to provide a reel or spool uponwhich an electric-lamp cable may be wound and unwound, as desired, andwhich is so adjusted and connected up that by turning the light on oroff the reel or spool may be locked or unlocked and when unlocked thecable may be unwound from the reel to the extent desired, and when thepull on the cable is released the reel will automatically wind up thecable. I attain this object by means of the mechanism illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a section along the lines XX on Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is an end elevation. Fig. 3 is an elevation of theend opposite that shown in Fig. 2.

Similar letters refer tosimilar parts throughout the several views.

Mounted in the sides A B of the frame C is a reel D, to which is securedthe cable E, connected with the lamp F. Projecting from one side of thehub of the reel D is an arbor G, to which one end of the coil-spring His attached, the other end of said spring being secured to the side A ofthe frame at a. To the hub of the reel G opposite that to which thearbor is attached I secure the ratchet K, with which a dog L on the sidea of the frame engages. To the side a of the frame 0, I place a magnet Mwithin operative distance of the dog L, so arranged that when the magnetis charged the dog L will be acted upon as an armature and drawn intocontact with the ratchet K. The wire N of an electriclight circuit isconnected with the magnet M and is also preferably connected with asheave O, the magnet preferably being between the sheave O and thesource of electric supply. The sheave 0 preferably engages with theperiphery of the side (Z of the reel D, there being, preferably,arranged around the periphery of said side (Z a wire n, with which thesheave O engages. Within the side (i of the reel or connected therewithin any suitable manner is, preferably, the Wire n, which connects withthe lamp-cable E, said cable E also being preferably connected with thewire m, which is preferably connected with the wire m, with which thesheave 0, similar to the sheave 0, preferably engages on the peripheryof the side d of the reel D, said sheave 0 being preferably connected bythe wire P of an electriclight circuit. As thus ar ranged and connectedup the electric current will be conveyed to the lamp F, which isconnected with the cable E through the magnet M, sheave 0, wires n andn, and out through the wires m and m and wire P. While the light isburning, the current being complete, the magnet is charged and the dog Lis in contact with the ratchet K, and the lamp may be taken to anydistance from the reel that the length of the cable will allow. The pullon the reel being against the tension of the spring H and when the pullis released on the cable and the lamp is extinguished the dog releasedfrom ratchet, the spring will tend to wind the cable on the reel, thuspreventing the cable from being tangled or getting in the way.

This makes a very convenient apparatus for use about an engine-room orother place where a light is frequently needed under and aroundmachinery at some distance from the place where it is usually fixedlyattached or where it would be convenient to connect the samepermanently. By my arrangement I can take an electric lamp in differentparts of a room and place it under a machine and bring the lightdirectly to the point where observation is necessary, and when throughwith it in a certain place the reel will automatically wind up the slackof the cable and prevent it from being tangled or injured, as mightoccur if it were left in the place where the lamp was used.

I do not limit myself to the means of connecting the lamp-cable with theelectric supply-wires.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a frame; a reel mounted therein; a means forrotating said reel; a ratchet connected with said reel; a dog adapted toengage said ratchet; a magnet in operative connection with said dog; alamp-cable a lamp attached to said cable; said cable placed on saidreel; a means for connecting said magnet and said cable with an electriccircuit, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a frame; a reel mounted therein; a springconnected with said frame and with an arbor 0n the hub of magnet andsheaves Within an electric cirsaid reel; a ratchet connected with saidreel; cuit, substantially as described. 10 a dog engaging said ratchetconnected with l Signed at Albany, New York, this 7th day said frame; amagnet in operative connecof July, 1905.

tion with said dog; sheaves connected with JAMES F. BURNS. theperipheries of said reel, respectively; a Witnesses: lamp-cable adaptedto be Wound about said FREDERICK WV. CAMERON,

reel; a means for placing said lamp-cable and LoTTIE PRIOR.

